Friday, June 09, 2006

CBC News: Killing will spark revenge: father of beheaded AmericanIf anyone in the world has reason to celebrate the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, surely Michael Berg is high on the list of names. His son Nicholus was one of the very public be-headings attributed to Zarqawi in 2004, and there are few greater tragedies any person can live through than losing a child. When it happens in such a violent and public way, an urge towards revenge might surely be forgiven.

Which is what makes Michael Berg such a remarkable man IMO. "I see more death coming out of al-Zarqawi's death," he said earlier today on CBC, and he goes on to talk about the tit-for-tat violence that an attitude of revenge brings about. "His death will incite a new wave of revenge. [U.S. President] George Bush and al-Zarqawi are two men who believe in revenge."

He's an eloquent speaker, and it was nice to see him on CBC. I hope he is getting the same airplay on CNN … Americans should hear what he has to say, even if it isn't the popular view. The fact that he lost his son in a very public way, and his son's death was played for propaganda value by BOTH sides gives him the right to speak his own mind. I for one applaud the message.